Mountain towns like Vail and Aspen continually search for talented and experienced young people. There are over 250 year-round professional roles that need experienced applicants on this ski job site alone.
By getting hired, these snow-loving students can discover a rewarding career alongside satisfying mountain views and recreation. Observe these five tips to prepare your best application.
1. Ready Your Resume
When you write your resume for a ski job, you want to pay careful attention to the wording and requirements of the job post. You don’t need to wow them with pages of educational qualifications or life experiences. Instead, you want to make a relevant impression in the first 30 seconds of seeing your resume.
Think about the job you are applying for and tailor your language to match what you think the employer or hiring manager is looking for. (For an outside perspective, you can always use the Writing Center as a resource.)
2. Emphasize with a Cover Letter
Gone are the days when a cover letter was an optional part of the hiring process. Most employers—even those in small mountain communities—are looking for applicants who put in the effort for a callback. So, make your cover letter unique to the job and personal to the employer.
Consider what skills and experience you have that puts you at an advantage in the mountains. You might have extensive experience skiing or even retail experience that makes you a good fit for a ski shop. The most important thing is to highlight your top, most relevant skills in this letter.
3. Review Your Social Accounts
If an employer thinks you have the potential, they may spend a few minutes googling you. Make sure they can find information to confirm what you write on your resume and your cover letter such as a full LinkedIn profile. The smallest thing could impact your chances of being hired, so review your public accounts with a critical eye.
4. Prepare for an Interview
Your first interview with a ski job employer could be over the phone or in-person. In either case, you want to demonstrate preparedness by doing your research well before you ever speak to the employer. Study their values, their ski resorts, and the person you will be interviewing with.
5. Aim High (within Reason)
While you may want to climb to the top of potential ski jobs on your first attempt, it’s best to choose a role that you know you can do well in and grow from. As the seasons and years progress, you’ll find yourself applying for better and better positions that place you further up the career mountain so to speak.
Final Thoughts
Mountain towns and resort communities have some of the most rewarding entry- and high-level careers in Colorado. You can find plenty of listings on sites like MountainJobs.com. Start exploring which professional ski jobs may be suited for your experience, and remember these five tips for landing a great ski career.